Chapter 3

Even though Hermione enjoyed her time at the burrow and was sure she would miss the early mornings with George, she was happy to return to Hogwarts. She was excited for her fourth year of school. As usual she had already read all the schoolbooks Mrs. Weasley brought for her. The taxi drive to the train station was stressful as Freds trunk sprang open what caused the Dr Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-start, no-heat fireworks to went off. Which frightened Crookshanks so much that he clawed his way up the taxi driver’s leg.

As they all finally got on the train Hermione could hear Mrs Weasley said, “Oh I’m so glad they’ve changed the rules.” The rest of her words were drowned out by the request of her children what she was talking about. Yet Mrs. Weasley was not willing to tell them anything. And even before the train had rounded the corner Mrs Weasley and her oldest two sons had Disapparated. Harry Ron and Hermione went back to their compartment.
Rons still seemed annoyed that his mother didn’t want to tell him anything. “Even Bagman wanted to tell us something. But my own mother wouldn’t say a thing” Ron said the betrayal noticeable in his voice. In this moment Hermione heard a familiar drawing voice so she let put a “Shh!” to stop Ron elaborating his feelings of betrayal.
It was Malfoy who the three could hear through the compartment door which was still open. As Hermione realized that Malfoy only wanted to make himself interesting, she got up and closed to compartment door. Ron and Harry immediately started chatting about Malfoy and what he was talking about. Hermione was surprised to see the confusion on Harry’s face about the fact that there are other wizarding schools. So, she started to tell them what she had read in the book ‘An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe’.

Throughout the day many of their friends of Gryffindor visited them in their compartment. As Ron was telling Neville about the Quidditch world Cup in every little detail, since Neville wasn’t allowed to attend the game, Malfoy along with Crabbe and Goyle suddenly stood in the entry of the compartment. As Malfoy started to make fun of Run, Hermione carried on reading her schoolbook.
“Are you going to enter Weasley?” Malfoy asked with a grin on his face. Since Hermione and the other Gryffindors didn’t know what Malfoy was talking about, Hermione decided to look up from her book and said, “Either you explain what you are talking about, or I suggest you go away”.
This led to an even wider grin on the blond boy’s face, “You have no idea, do you? I guess your father isn’t as important, Weasley. My father told me ages ago. He of course knows it from the minister.” Malfoy said now facing Ron. Still with a wide grin on his face he left the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle.
“What is he talking about?” Ron asked still looking furious.
“Don’t let Malfoy get to you like that. He probably knows nothing too.” Hermione said calmly.
Ron replied with an annoyed snarl, “Him get to me? Come on as if.”.

Ron’s mood didn’t improve for the rest of the journey. In fact, it got worse. The weather was horrible. All students got drenched as soon as they stepped out of the Train.
As the three entered the Entrance Hall a large red balloon had dropped from out of nowhere.
“ARGH” Ron screamed as the water drenched him even more.
A second balloon nearly hit Hermione. Unfortunately, it landed just before Harry’s feet. Hermione saw the uncomfortable look on Harry’s face. As the three looked up they saw Peeves the poltergeist floating over them. With a wide grin on his face. Just when Hermione opened her mouth to start screaming at him, she heard the unmistakable voice of Professor McGonagall. “Peeves! Come down now. The students are wet enough already.”
Her words didn’t seem to have had any effect on the ghost. He continued to fire some more water bombs. Eventually he left and the three were led into the great hall by Professor McGonagall.
Hermione always loved the great hall with the floating candles over their heads and the enchanted ceiling. The atmosphere was always breathtaking. Especially on the first day of the new schoolyear.

After the Sorting hat finished his song and the new students were all sorted in their houses Dumbledore got up. Fearing a long speech from the Headmaster Ron seemed as if he is going to starve if he doesn’t get to eat in the next few minutes.
Luckily the Headmaster had only two words for them, “Tuck in”.
The food appeared and Ron started to eat as if he hadn’t had anything the last few days. Whilst eating Harry and Ron started to chat with the nearly Headless Nick. First Hermione didn’t engage in the conversation. But she flinched and knocked over her golden goblet which contained Pumpkin juice. “There are house elves here” Hermione asked surprised.
“Well, certainly who do you think prepares the food?” Nick asked her a bit confused.
“But I have never seen one!” Hermione said.
“They don’t leave the kitchen very often. They come out only at night to clean.” Nick explained to her. Hermione now completely shocked stopped eating immediately. The boys tried to convince her that it wouldn’t change anything if she stopped eating. But Hermione decided that she didn’t want to support such Slave labour.

On their way to the common room Harry and Ron chatted with Fred and George who already had started making plans on how to enter the Tournament. Harry, Ron and Fred had fallen behind to help Neville who got stuck in one of the trick Stairs. George looked at Hermione and asked “What’s the matter? You look as mad as my mom when she’s about to yell at me and Fred.”.
“Did you know that there are House elves working at Hogwarts? They don’t even get paid or have any sick days!” Hermione said.
“Yes, I did, how do you think me and Fred could find food so quickly for the parties?” George answered with a smile on his face.
Hermione was speechless but that didn’t matter since they had arrived at the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower.
“Password?” The fat Lady asked.
“Balderdash, a Prefect downstairs told me.” George said with a smile on his face and climbed through the hole into the common room.
Hermione followed him she heard that the others were following them again. With a dark look at the nice and cozy common room as well as muttering “slave labour”. She immediately went to the girls’ dormitories without wishing any of the boys, a good night.

By the next morning the heavy rain stopped. Hermione sat at breakfast overlooking the new timetable along with Harry and Ron. She could her Fred and George talking with Lee Jordan about a method to age themselves. Hermione decided that starving herself wouldn’t help anyone. That she was eating again wasn’t unnoticed.
Ron said, “You’re eating again?”.
Hermione glared at him and said “Yes, well I decided that starving myself wouldn’t help anyone. Instead, I’m going to find a other solution.”.
Ron looked at her in disbelieve and said, “And admit it you were hungry, weren’t you”.
Hermione chose to ignore him and the owls arriving and dropping the mail all over the hall was a great distraction.

Later that same day Hermione met Harry and Ron again on the way to dinner. They were stopped as they were passing the Entrance Hall by non-other than Malfoy. He held a daily Prophet in his hands and had a wide grin on his face. He started to read it loudly so anyone could hear him. Hermione saw how angry Ron had gotten. She and Harry had grabbed the back of Ron’s robe.
“What’s your problem Malfoy? Have you ever looked at your mother. Is the look of disgust on her face just her normal expression or does she only look like that since she had you” Harry said turning back around to head into the Great Hall. But that was too much for Malfoy.
“You little...” Malfoy said, the rest of the sentence was lost in the loud Bang that suddenly filled the hall.
Hermione saw Professor Moody coming down the stairs. Wand out and he was looking at where Malfoy should have stood. But he was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was a tiny white ferret. The Hall was now filled with laughter. Hermione was filled with shock as she had realised that Professor Moody just turned Malfoy into a ferret. Sur Malfoy tried to attack Harry but turning him into a ferret seemed a bit extreme in Hermione’s opinion She was even more shocked as the professor started to bounce him up and down in the air. Luckily Professor McGonagall came to the rescue. Alarmed by the loud laughter she came rushed into the entrance Hall to see what the fuss was about.
“Moody, is that a student?” Professor McGonagall asked the horror was noticeable in her voice.
As Professor McGonagall proceeded to scold the other Professor Hermione tried to nudge Harry and Ron into the Great Hall. Because she had seen enough for her tase. Ron just replied, “Don’t talk to me, I want to fix this moment in my memory forever.”
Hermione just rolled with her eyes and looked for a place for them to sit. Since Hermione wanted to get to the library as soon as possible she started to eat a top speed as soon as she had sat down. “Don’t tell me you’re going back to the library this evening.” Ron asked with a concerned look on his face.
“Oh, I do. I’ve got a lot to do.” Hermione quickly replied.
On Her way out of the great Hall she ran into Fred and George along with Lee Jordan.
“Are you already finished with dinner Hermione?” Fred asked.
“Yeah, I’m going to the library now that’s why I hurried. Ron are Harry are still over there.” Hermione said and pointed to where the two boys were sitting.
“Thanks, Hermione.” George said smiling at the younger witch. Hermione smiled back and she went on her way to the library.

Hermione continued to spend every minute of her free time in the library. She even nearly came late to their first lesson with Professor Moody on Tuesday after Lunch. They all were very excited to see how the Professor teaches. Harry and Ron had told Hermione how Fred and George’s first lesson with Professor Moody went. Hermione’s excitement was contained due to the fact what Moody had done to Malfoy. And she wasn’t proven wrong. She was once again shocked to see what the Professor found appropriate to show to his fourteen-year-old students. When the lesson finally ended, and Harry and Ron had packed their stuff together Hermione rushed to Neville. He was standing out in the Hall staring in the void.
“Neville?” Hermione asked.
Neville turned around to her and in a way higher tone than usual he said, “Oh Hello, I wonder what’s for dinner, I am starving.”.
” Are you sure you’re all right?” Hermione asked.
“Yeah, sure I’m fine.” Neville said, his voice still was not convincing anyone.
Hermione heard Moody limping to them. He talked to Neville and Harry and even took Neville with him.
“What was that?” Ron asked.
“I don’t know.” Hermione replied.
Hermione didn’t chat with Harry or Ron during dinner. She still had some finishing touches to her project, so she hurried to get to the library as soon as possible.

Hermione returned to the common room very late. Luckily Harry and Ron were still up. In Fact, they were the only ones left in the common room.
“I’ve just finished” she told them happily.
“Me too” Ron said finish his last sentence on what seemed to be his divination homework.
Hermione sat down next to him and picked up his work to read it through.
“It’s going to be a hard month for you.” she said as Crookshanks curled up in her lap.
“Yeah well at least I’m prepared.”
Hermione shot him a glance of disbelief.
“Anyways, Like I said I’ve just finished my project.” Hermione said and opened her box with the badges she had just made.
“SPEW?” Harry asked.
“Its S-P-E-W, It stands for Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.” Hermione said.
“Never heard of that” Ron replied.
“Of course, you haven’t. I’ve just started it.” Hermione said excitedly.”.
“Oh really, how many members have you got?” Ron asked surprised.
“Well, if you two would join, three.” Hermione said.
She explained to the boy’s what her goals were and how much they had to pay to join the society. She got interrupted by a loud bang on the window.
“Hedwig” Harry said excitedly.
 He got up to let his owl in and took the letter from her leg.
“It’s from Sirius. Oh no he’s writing he’s traveling north to be closer to the school.” Harry said as he sat back down and read the letter.
“He’s travelling north?” Hermione asked alarmed.
“It says so in the letter, I shouldn’t have written to him.” Harry said.
As Hermione tried to convince him that it was the correct thing to have written to Sirius Harry got up and said, “I’m going to bed, good night.”.
Ron joined him soon after and Hermione also was tired and decided to call it a day and went to bed.